Pre-Game Rituals: How to Build a Routine that Eases Game Day Nerves

Mental composure plays a massive role in an any athlete’s success. It’s especially important in soccer, where every single player on the pitch has to use their head and make decisions. You need mental energy to make decisions. When you’re already exhausted upstairs, it’s very difficult to perform.

One of the most effective ways to avoid this scenario is by building and following a pre-game routine. It’s what you do the day of the match – honestly beginning from the moment you go to bed the night before - that determines how you’ll feel when the match starts.

What’s the Point of a Pre-Game Routine?

The main point of a pre-game routine is to avoid what’s known as decision fatigue. Every decision you make puts stress on your brain. When you make lots of decisions, it’s harder to focus later on that day because of how much stress your brain has already been through.

Have you ever wondered why Steve Jobs wore the same outfit almost every day? He famously revealed that wearing the same thing every day – instead of choosing what to wear - spares his mind from another decision that could potentially impede his concentration.

A pre-game routine works the same way. When you establish a routine with different activities, you follow the routine instead of making decisions. Instead of choosing when to take to shower, you take a shower at the same time, every morning.

Minimizing your decisions throughout the day lets your brain rest so it can perform later on. Come match time, your brain will have plenty of fuel, allowing you to focus and make decisions with confidence.

Building Your Routine

An effective pre-game routine consists of two types of activities. First, you have essential activities we all do like sleeping, eating, showering, etc. So, you might begin building your routine by establishing specific time frames for these activities. This includes the time you go to bed, when you wake up in the morning, what you have for breakfast…you get the idea.

Then, you have activities that are conducive to your mental well-being as an individual. What do you do to feel confident and relaxed? This could include listening to music, meditating, watching an online video, along with soccer-related activities like stretching and getting a few touches before warm-ups.

How Routine Effects Performance

Much like minimizing decisions throughout the day, feeling confident and relaxed helps your brain perform. Instead of depriving your brain of fuel with stress and anxiety, you’re adding mental fuel, and you need as much as possible for a soccer match. When your brain is effectively primed for performance, you can think faster, make better decisions, and devote 100% of your focus towards supporting your team every second you are in play.

If your athlete is struggling with anxiety before games, Beyond Goals Mentoring is here to help. As two retired pros, we specialize in identifying the mental hurdles that are preventing your athlete from feeling just as relaxed on the big stage as they do during practice.

Let’s set up a mentoring session today and start developing a plan for putting your athlete’s nerves to rest.